The first vaccine against enterovirus-71 (EV71) — a common cause of hand, foot, and mouth disease and other illnesses, especially in the Asia-Pacific region — was highly effective in an industry-conducted, phase 3 trial published in the Lancet.

Over 10,000 healthy Chinese children, aged 6 to 35 months, were randomized to receive inactivated alum-adjuvant EV71 vaccine or placebo; two doses were given, one month apart. At 14 months, vaccine efficacy was estimated to be 90% for EV71-associated hand, foot, and mouth disease and 80% for overall EV71-associated disease (for example, herpangina, aseptic meningitis). Serious adverse events did not differ between groups.

The authors say the vaccine’s efficacy was comparable to that of inactivated poliovirus vaccine. Commentators write: “Because morbidity and mortality from EV71 infection is low, the major effect of this vaccine will be to reduce hospital admissions.”

Source: Lancet